Franchise partner Larry Weinberg has been quoted in a story titled “McDonald’s, Icon of Post-Soviet Era, to Close All Restaurants in Russia,” published by Reuters.
Writes Hilary Russ: “McDonald’s Corp. said on Tuesday it would temporarily close all 847 of its restaurants in Russia including its iconic Pushkin Square location, increasing pressure on other global brands to pause operations in the country following Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine. The closure of the McDonald’s restaurants will also carry symbolic importance in Russia, where the first location to open, in central Moscow in 1990, became a symbol of flourishing American capitalism as the Soviet Union fell.”
Because McDonald’s owns many locations in Russia, it has more direct access to shutting operations. That may not be as easy for other fast-food chains in Russia.
Says Larry: “These are often long, complicated, heavily negotiated agreements. Every one of them can be different from everyone else.”